Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossJune 29, 2015

With reaction continuing to pour in after the Friday Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, Jacksonville LGBT activists say they’re ready to take another crack at updating the city’s human rights ordinance. “We’re trying again,” says Jacksonville attorney and activist Jimmy Midyette, who chairs the Northeast Florida LGBT Leadership PAC, and thinks the climate is now a […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 29, 2015

With just two days to go until Lenny Curry is inaugurated as Jacksonville mayor on Wednesday, the mayor-elect’s transition committees continued, albeit with some glitches, at Jacksonville University. The Prevention, Intervention, and At-Risk Youth committee was hampered by some key no-shows. Co-chairs Johnny Gaffney and Paul Perez were absent. Thus, it was left to Jon Heymann, of the Jacksonville Children’s Commission, […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 29, 2015

The Jacksonville mayoral election, and the Alvin Brown campaign, are in the rearview mirror at this point. Despite thar, Zakee Fur’qan remains in the news. Mark Glaeser, a Gainesville resident, filed an election fraud complaint on March 27 accusing Fur’qan of potential voter fraud. It has been referred to the State Attorney’s Office by the General Counsel at […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 26, 2015

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I remember the first time I interviewed former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney. It was 2008, and I wanted to know why it was that the Duval County power structure fell in behind the Presidential bid of Mitt Romney. The University of North Florida President gave me something that is all too rare in politics: a forthright answer […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 26, 2015

Updated 2:10 p.m. with comment from Lenny Curry team: On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court made gay marriage legal nationwide. Of course, it’s been legal in Florida for the last six months. In response to it being made legal, Duval County Clerk of Courts Ronnie Fussell made the decision to stop courthouse weddings. The decision, we […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 25, 2015

The most telling moment during Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown‘s “employee appreciation event,” which served as a de facto farewell address was during the print gaggle afterward, when David Bauerlein asked the outgoing mayor about how he was coping with the loss. “I was surprised,” Brown said about the night of the election. “I thought I had it.” […]

Melissa RossJune 24, 2015

With resolutely positive messaging, outgoing Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is reflecting on his four years in office by noting the accomplishments that he says make him most proud: pension reform, downtown development, and the growth of the city as a sports and entertainment destination. On the pension deal: “I’m very happy for the hardworking taxpayers […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 19, 2015

When it comes to the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension, nothing is easy. Not even a 4-1 vote by the Police and Fire Pension Board to approve 2015-304, the agreement passed by Jacksonville’s City Council by a 14-4 margin at last week’s meeting. A lot of passions were stirred; passions about making sure the first […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 17, 2015

With a unanimous vote in its favor in City Council, it would have been a surprise if Alvin Brown had not signed the Charlotte’s Web moratorium passed last Tuesday at City Council into law. And so he did. But perhaps the words in the statement his office gave WJXT bear closer examination. “The mayor recognizes the […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 16, 2015

In Jacksonville City Council’s Rules Committee on Monday, John Crescimbeni’s resolution [2015-350] against seismic testing off of Jacksonville’s coast was voted down by a 4-3 margin, just two weeks after it passed in this same body. The deciding vote last time, Stephen Joost, was for it before he was against it. No votes were Robin Lumb, Joost, […]

Tag: Alvin Brown
Billy Long. Image via AP.

With same-sex marriage now legal coast to coast, Jax activists eye city’s HRO once again

Push for renewed Jacksonville Journey continues in Lenny Curry transition committee

Zakee Fur’qan under investigation by Florida Department of State

John Delaney discusses Lenny Curry, Alvin Brown, the mayoral transition, and the HRO

Will Duval County bring back courthouse weddings now?

Alvin Brown’s farewell address: a last campaign speech

Alvin Brown says, “I kept my promises”

Emotions run high as Jax Police and Fire Pension Board OKs deal

Alvin Brown signs Charlotte’s Web moratorium into law

Stephen Joost flips on seismic testing; notes from Jax Council 6/15 Rules Committee meeting